


My Beast

by neadevar



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Beauty and the Beast, Beauty and the Beast AU, Eremin - Freeform, Fluff, M/M, literally its pretty much all fluff, no smut sorry, this is for you katie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-02-14 05:04:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2178960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neadevar/pseuds/neadevar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His eyes were the only thing human about him. That was the only reason I believed he was human in the first place. There was so much emotion and happiness in them. You didn’t see that in animals. You didn’t see that in monsters. Eren wasn’t the beast he claimed to be.<br/>(Eremin Beauty and the Beast au)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Provincial

**Author's Note:**

> Huge huge HUGE thanks to Katie (http://princesashatotherescue.tumblr.com/) for this idea. She was a huge help and I was basically just her writing utensil so like 75% of the credit goes to her wonderful face. 
> 
> Jean's kind of an asshole, but he's even more of one in this fic so he'd fit his role a little better. I tried to keep him true to his character but I probably failed majorly and I'm so sorry. He's the only worry I have about this fic.
> 
> This kind of has me wanting to do other disney fairy tale au's too, but who knows if that'll actually happen.\
> 
> I put more work into this then I usually do because I had to make this perfect for Katie or I would hate myself for forever.
> 
> ALSO IMPORTANT! This pulls a Maximum Ride. It was necessary for me to switch between Armin's POV to third person just to get everything needed in here. If that bothers you and you can't read that is completely fine.

I was tired of this life. I was sick of the same faces, smells, and noises. There was never anything new. No adventures, no excitement, nothing that made life worth living. I wanted something like in the books I read. I wanted to fight powerful enemies, find lost treasure, discover a new world. I wanted more than my simple provincial town life. I _needed_ more.

I wanted to go after what my parents did when they left me in the care of my grandfather. I was young, but I understood. They were looking for more out of this world. There’s so much out there, so much to discover, and they were stuck here just like I am now. People like us can’t stay in one place. We need to roam. We need to explore.

I was trapped here, and it was destroying me.

“Armin! Bonjour,” the book keeper was never surprised to see me, but he acted like it anyways. He was one of the few from the town that actually liked me and the family I came from. The rest of them saw my parents as gypsies and that in turn put my grandfather and I in bad light. They all thought he was crazy, with all the inventions he kept making. They thought I was strange because I always had my face in a book. When I was reading though, I was away from here. I was in a place that I actually wanted to be and for a little while I could forget that I was _me._

The book keeper was a wiry old man who took more care in his mustache than his general appearance. He looked like a sad mutt with the drooping wrinkles on his forehead and slanted, tired eyes. He was the town drunk, often seen in the afternoons stumbling home. Often when I came to get a book he’d be passed out on his desk.

An empty bottle of booze sat next to a silver flask, which he knocked over as he stood up to greet me. “I’m sorry; I haven’t gotten any new books since the last time you came.”

“I figured.” We rarely got new shipments of anything this far out in France. I pulled out a book from my basket. “I came by to give this back to you. I thought I’d just get one of the books I’ve already read.” I handed him the book and turned to look at the shelves. I had read everything in here, from adventures to science, and I had all their places memorized like the back of my hand. It only took a few seconds before I found the one I needed. I turned around and handed the book keeper a coin.

He raised a thin eyebrow at me, “That one? You’ve read it at least three times already.”

I smiled kindly at him, “It’s a really good book.”

The book keeper shook his head with a smile as he grabbed my money, “I’ll tell you what. You can keep it.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

 “I am very sure.”

“Thank you so much!”

I grinned up at him and waved him goodbye as I walked out the door. I opened the book, losing myself almost immediately in adventure and murder and romance. I knew the town by heart. I didn’t even need to look up from my book as I made my way to the town fountain. I sat down, only the baying of a sheep beside me making me look up. The animal in front of me bayed again and nipped at the corner of my book suspiciously. I laughed and held my book over my head and out of reach of its curious mouth. The herder shooed it away with a small embarrassed, “Bonjour!” and a smile.

My book was ripped from my hands before I got the chance to begin reading it again.

“What book is it today, beautiful?”

I suppressed a groan, looking up at Jean with a tight smile. He had his gun in his other hand and his friend Marco holding a few dead animals. I say ‘friend’ lightly as he treated him as well as you would treat yesterday’s trash. Jean was popular around the town, men and woman alike practically worshipped the ground he walked on. Of all the pretty girls and handsome boys he could choose from the town he had set his sights on me from the time I was fourteen. Four years and countless rejections hadn’t changed his deluded affections, or his determination to get me.

I tried not to let the disgust fall onto my features, and instead tried to grab my book back from him. He was considerably taller than me and dodged my grabbing hands easily.

“It’s just a book, Jean,” I told him. I folded my arms across my chest in annoyance.

Jean handed his gun roughly to Marco, the freckled boy struggling to juggle both it and the animals in his arms. I didn’t even spare him a glance. Marco was the one who encouraged Jean to keep running after me. I didn’t feel anything for him but pity at this point.

“It doesn’t even have any pictures,” Jean remarked, as if it was the foulest thing he could even begin to think of. He crinkled his nose up like he smelled something awful. “How do you even read this?”

“With a little imagination, something you lack.” I retorted. I jumped, the book just an inch from my grasp, but he pulled it away before my fingers could even graze it.

“Who needs imagination, Armin.” With a swift flick of his wrist he tossed the book in the fountain, and before I could rush to get to it and hope that I could save the ink from bleeding he was in front of me. A lazy grin crossed his features and he leaned in close. “All anybody ever really needs is a little love. Right Marco?”

“You’re exactly right, Jean!” Marco beamed at him, seeming to forget all about trying to keep his load from tipping over. A few animal pelts fell to the ground and he shrieked bending over to pick them up only for a few more to fall from his arms.

Jean didn’t even spare him a glance, “Think about this, Armin. Me, you, a couple kids we adopted from the orphanage running around our beautiful house. You could do all the cleaning, and take care of the kids, and I’ll do the hunting to put food on our table. It sounds nice, don’t you think?”

I shook my head, “It sounds like you’re full of hot air.”

“You hurt me. Won’t you even consider it?”

“There’s nothing to consider,” I stepped around him and grabbed my book from the fountain. I grabbed a cloth from my basket and set to the task of wiping it off. “I don’t want to marry you, Jean.”

He put an arm around my shoulder, “But you’re the prettiest one in this town, Armin, and I’m the most handsome man in all of France. We were meant to be together.”

I grimaced, “I need to get home.”

“I’m sure your crazy grandfather won’t mind if I took you away for a little while. We can have a picnic in the forest. What do you think?”

“My grandfather’s not crazy.” I shook his arm off of me. A resounding boom had me jumping, immediately turning to the direction of my home. “I’m sorry, I need to go.”

I took off running, grateful to leave Jean behind just as much as I was worried that my grandfather’s inventions had finally blown the house down.

 

 

 

Jean was selfish. He was selfish and rude, but he was also devastatingly handsome. Men and woman alike swarmed around him to get his attention – men and woman he was convinced weren’t pretty enough to marry. He only had his eyes on Armin. Armin, with his beautiful round, blue eyes and sweet smile that could have anyone’s insides melting. It was a shame about his crazy grandfather though. But Jean figured once they were married he could do something about him then.

“I’m going to marry him, Marco,” Jean said, grinning ear to ear as he slapped his friend on the back. A few more animals fell to the dirt and Marco scrambled to pick them up. It never occurred to Jean to help him, because why should he?

“He’d make a beautiful husband!” Marco encouraged, smiling at Jean as he tried to balance the gun in his arms without losing more animals.

“That he would, Marco. I just need to figure out how to get him to say yes.”

“He can’t keep denying you forever! You’re Jean, everyone wants you!”

 Jean laughed heartily, “That’s true. He’ll come around. I just have to be patient.”

 

 

 

The smoke coming from the basement had me nearly dropping my basket in worry I opened the doors, coughing and wheezing and waving my hand in front of my face as billows of smoke erupted. I could hear my grandpa coughing and that had me almost tripping down the stairs trying to get to him. He had really done it this time. Whatever invention he had been working on the past few months will finally cost him a trip to the doctor then next town over.

“Grandfather?” I called out. I paused to cough into my hand. “Are you okay?”

The smoke started clearing enough for me to see him jumping up in joy, “Armin! I think I did it!”

“You finished your invention?”

“Yes!”

I laughed and ran up to him, looking at the strange contraption he had been working on for months on end. It looked like a mess of wires and springs – was that a clock? – but just knowing that he had finally finished it had me ecstatic.

“Start it up!” I told him grinning, “I want to see it work!”

Grandfather smiled up at me, “Hand me a log!”

I walked over to the corner of the room and picked up a log, the rough wood poking me sharply in my palms. My grandpa happily had me set it down in front of his machine.

“Stand back, Min! I want you to get a good view of all my hard work finally paying off.”

I took a couple steps back with a laugh. Grandpa pushed a button, and his machine started whirring. It buzzed and vibrated and clinked and I thought for sure it was just going to fall apart. And then the axe on the front of it swung down rapidly and started chopping up the wood. Grandfather hooted and hollered, clapping his hands gleefully. I stepped to the side to dodge a piece of flying wood.

“This is it! Armin, I’ve done it, and just in time for the fair!”

“Go!” I grabbed his bag that he had sat on the floor next to the basement door weeks ago. I knew the bread would be stale and the water warm, but I also knew my grandfather would be too excited to care. He had been planning his trip weeks ago, packing multiple bags and setting them in front of the cellar door. It had taken a lot of convincing to urge him down to one bag. I held it and helped him set his invention up outside. Our horse neighed at us as we hooked up the wagon and wheeled the contraption on it.

“I’ll be back in a couple days, Min!” Grandfather shouted, waving as he started down the path. “And when I come back, I’ll be holding the gold medal!”

I waved back at him, bouncing on the balls of my feet, “Stay safe!”

And I watched him disappear into the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is neadevar so pop by if you want <3 I do a lot of cosplay asks there (So far a lot of Armin and some Marco, but I plan on more) so don't miss that okay?


	2. The Beast

Armin’s grandfather was lost. Completely, hopelessly lost. He missed a turn somewhere, or maybe he hadn’t gotten to it yet. It was foggy though. For all he knew he might not even be on the right road anymore. The old man tightened his grip on the reigns of his horse and looked around. The turn had to be around here somewhere….

There, a fork in the road. No signs to direct him, but that’s okay. He knew his way around here. He could walk his way to the fair with a blindfold over his eyes and not once get lost. The fog was a little confusing, but he could make it. He was sure of it. Armin’s grandfather steered his horse down the right path only for her to take a couple steps back.

“Come on girl,” he coaxed her. He ran a hand up and down the side of her neck to get her to calm down. “It’s just down this road.”

He kicked her forward, and she swung around with a whinny. A little frustrated he kicked with his legs a little harder. He had to get to the fair. If he missed it he would be devastated. The horse took a couple hesitant steps forward, but with her masters urging continued on nervously. Every step she took was cautious, every sense in her telling her that something was wrong. She kept going.

At least until the wolves started howling.

She froze, reared her head, and swung about wildly. The wagon bumped and shook and Armin’s grandfather desperately tried to calm her down so his invention wouldn’t fall off.

“Sh,” he cooed, “It’s okay girl. We’re almost there.”

And then the wolves emerged, the dense fog hiding them until they were close enough that the man could smell their putrid breath. The horse reared up and Armin’s grandfather felt the air slammed out of his lungs when he hit the ground. He wheezed, forgetting for a moment about his danger and worrying about his machine. But the horse was gone. She had taken off down the road back to where they came too blinded by fear to worry about her master.

The old man was surrounded.

The wolves started growling, and he took off running. Twigs snapped under his feet and branches scraped at his face but in his haste and fear he barely registered it. He could feel the wolves trying to nip at his ankles. He could feel their breath at the back of his neck. He cried out in fear and urged his legs to carry him faster, to get him to safety. He just had to find a place to hide.

A castle, just up ahead. If he could just make it there he would be safe. His breath came in short pants and he forced himself to keep going. The castle was huge, ominous, casting a dark shadow over top of him as he approached the gates. The gargoyles seemed to glare at him from all directions, but the terrifying place seemed a much better idea than getting eaten by the wolves. He could care less. The wolves were right on him and he only wanted to put the gate between him and them. He banged on the gates frantically.

“Help me! Please let me in!” and they opened, just a crack. Unlocked. He ducked inside quickly, shutting the gates just as the wolves lunged for him. Their paws scraped at the metal and their teeth clanked and for a couple seconds the old man forgot how to breathe. His lungs froze up in fear and he thought for sure he was going to die because now he could see them. He could see the ribs through their skin and their yellowed teeth and crazed eyes.

And then they seemed to give up. They just walked away.

Armin’s grandfather breathed a sigh of relief and his shoulders slumped. He was safe, but he needed help. He was not about to go back into those woods without his horse. He doubted she’d come back to look for him anytime soon. If anything she was nearly home with his invention, hopefully, still strapped to the wagon behind her. He turned around with a sigh and started down the long path to the castle. Maybe, just maybe, there would be someone in there to help him.

He regretted it almost immediately after he went inside. It was musty and dreary, the drapes in shreds and broken glass littered around the floor. The place had been abandoned, left to rot. He wouldn’t be finding anything here but skeletons and ghosts. Armin told him about the books he read like this, of haunted castles with a devastating story.

When he saw a candle holder, all three wicks lit and alive, he was almost sure it was like one of those books. Maybe someone still lived here though. It wouldn’t hurt to check.

“Strange,” he muttered. He picked it up. “Is anyone here!?”

“He’s so pale Levi, we should really help him.”

“No, we should get him out of the castle!”

The old man looked around wildly, “Who’s there?”

“Erwin, I swear to god if you-.”

“Down here sir, you’re holding me.”

“You bastard!”

The man jumped, dropping the candle holder in shock. It was talking. That was what was speaking to him. He watched it bounce up, _it moved by itself!_ He stepped backwards in fear. This castle really was haunted. Objects that were supposed to be inanimate were moving and talking. This was _exactly_ like the books Armin talked about!

“Don’t be scared, monsieur! You look cold, follow me so I can help you warm up.”

Peculiar. He didn’t remember Armin mentioning the haunted objects helping out.

The old man took a step forward, only to stop when a clock fell from a shelf.

“Erwin! Kick him out!” That had to be the clock talking. It ticked in a way that could only be described as angry as it made its way to the candle holder.

“He’s chilled to the bone Levi. I can’t just turn him away now.”

“Yes you can.”

“Follow me monsieur!”

Armin’s grandfather followed the candle holder – Erwin? – gingerly. It bounced ahead of him, the light from its candles lighting the way. They entered another room, the fire in the fireplace already stoked and hot and a tea set waiting for them.

A woman’s voice called out, “Who’s this?”

“Mikasa,” Erwin said, “Would you mind giving this man a cup of tea?”

“My brother won’t like this, and you know it.” It was the tea pot. Could the furniture talk too?

“Please, do this for me.”

The teapot tilted, pouring hot tea into a chipped mug. The old man walked forward and grabbed it cautiously, waiting for it to talk too.

“Please, do sit.”

“ _Erwin!_ That is the master’s chair!”

“I know that! I’ll just warm him up and send him on his way.”

The old man sat down on the chair, and a blanket threw itself over his lap. He must be dead, or almost dead. That had to be the explanation. Inanimate objects couldn’t just talk and move around, even if the castle really was ‘haunted’. He was going crazy! He sipped his tea with shaky hands. Oh god, what was Armin to do if he went crazy?

“This is such a bad idea,” it was Levi, the clock, again. “You’re a bastard, Erwin! I cannot believe you!”

“Calm down Levi, as long as the master doesn’t catch him before we send him away then -.”

“Who is he?” The voice was deep, rough, _terrifying._ It sent chills down the old man’s back and made the hairs on his neck stand on end. It sounded almost… sinister, inhuman. It sounded like a monster, the kind that would haunt him in his dreams as a child. It was like the thing he was sure hid underneath his bed as a toddler, the thing that sent him screaming to his parent’s room because he mistook the creaking of the house for his growl. It was right _there._

He felt himself hauled up by the back of his neck and shaken around like he was a doll, “Do I need to repeat myself? _Who is he?!”_

“Well, you see sir.” Erwin began, but he didn’t get far.

“I told them not to do it master, but they wouldn’t listen.” It was Levi.

“Why is he in my castle!?”

The old man thought he should be screaming by now, but he couldn’t get his voice to work. He couldn’t even struggle. He just let the monster shake him around angrily.

“He was cold,” Erwin continued. “He just needed to warm up a bit, I was going to send him on his way after he stopped shivering.”

“He can’t leave now and you know it!”

“Sir, please. He’s just an old man, he won’t do any harm.”

Erwin’s words did nothing to sooth the beasts temper. One moment Armin’s grandfather found himself in front of the fireplace, and the next he was in a dungeon. He was cold, huddled up with his arms wrapped around his small body, in the corner wondering how he could have possibly gotten himself into this kind of mess.

 

 

 

I knew there was something wrong. I could feel it in the air. It just wasn’t until my grandfather’s horse came running back home with the wagon still hooked up and without him that it really settled in my gut. It felt like a rock, rolling and turning with every step I made towards the horse. It was like it was trying to drag me into the ground, making it harder to take each step.

“Hey girl,” I whispered as I approached the horse. I reached a hand up to her head to sooth the panicked look in her eyes. “What happened? Where’s Grandpa?” She only scuffled her hooves in response and shook her head around.

I had to find him.

I unhooked her from the wagon, stepping into the stirrups and taking hold of the reigns. I needed to do this myself. He was old, frail. He could be _dying._ He could be lying in the forest cold and weak. There were wolves in the forest; they’ve been hungrier this year with the lack of deer for them to hunt. They could find him before I did.

The rock in my gut grew heavier.

We ran, down the path and through the woods and I shouted for my Grandfather nearly every second. I never got a reply. My stomach kept sinking and sinking and bile rose in the back of my throat. Where was he?

I was about to give up when we came across the castle. Everything in my gut told me to not go in, to keep looking outside, but I had to check. He might have come here for refuge. He might be _dying_ inside there. I walked through the doors, putting a hand over my mouth when dust blew into my face. I coughed a moment, waving the air in front of me, and with my eyes now teared up I continued on calling out for my grandfather. He had to be here.

I walked down a flight of stairs, slipping and nearly sliding my whole way down. I shrieked, catching myself before my head could hit the hard stone. I heard a scuffling, and froze. My heart was pounding in my throat. It was like it was trying to come up.

“Hello?”

The air rushed out of me, and I ran down the last couple of steps ad towards the arms stretched out from between bars.

“Grandfather!”

“Armin?”

He didn’t look relieved, he looked anything but. He gripped my arms right when I tried to pull away. His eyes looked around wildly. I tried to pull away, I had to find the keys to let him out, but he refused to let me go.

“Armin,” he shook me a little, “Listen to me. You have to get out of here!”

“What do you mean?” I could see the keys, perched on a hook just a few feet away. I could get him out. “I’m not leaving without you.”

“You have to go! The beast, if he catches you-.”

A deep voice, one that had me freezing in fear and a shiver roll down my back, spoke up. “Why are you here?”

All at once every nightmare I had as a child flashed through my mind. I was a little kid again, running away from monsters and crying for a mom who wasn’t even there. I was in my grandpa’s arms as he rocked me to sleep again. I couldn’t turn myself around. I couldn’t bring myself to look at it. I was frozen in place, clutching my Grandfathers hands.

I watched his face pale as he looked over my shoulder, his eyes growing wide. His lower lip shook.

_This is what had him so scared. I have to get him out._

“I’m here to get my grandfather,” I whispered. “Please. Just let me take him and we’ll leave. We’ll never come back.”

“Turn around.”

I listened, scared of what happened if I didn’t and wishing I could stop myself. I didn’t want to see it. I saw a flow of movement in the shadows. In the dark lighting I couldn’t tell who was there. The only think I could see were glowing green eyes, slanted like a fox’s and staring down at me. They were angry, and curious, as if he hadn’t seen people in so long and he was studying me. My eyes teared up under his gaze. I clenched my shaking fists.

“Why should I let him go? He trespassed.” He said it as if it were obvious, that because of that my grandfather wouldn’t know freedom.

“I’m sorry,” I pleaded, “He’s old, he doesn’t understand. Please just let me take him home, he’ll die here.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?!” I shouted. I bit my tongue and pressed myself flat against the bars. I yelled, I never yell, but I was desperate. I was desperate to get us both out of here alive but the beast wouldn’t listen. I closed my eyes and took a shaky breath, expecting the beast to lash out and kill me for speaking up like that. It never happened though.

There was a moment of silence before the creature spoke up, “There has to be a punishment.”

I swallowed against the lump in my throat, the wheels in my head turning as I frantically tried to think of a way to get us out of here. I could only think of one, and it frightened me, but it was my only choice.

“Take me in his place.” I shook at the thought, squeezing my eyes shut and trying to sound brave.

My grandfather reacted immediately, grabbing my arm through the bars and screaming, “Armin, no!”

“Take me,” I said again. “Let my grandfather go. I’ll work. I’ll clean. I’ll do whatever you need me to do. Just don’t keep my grandfather here.”

The beast didn’t talk. It was actually thinking about it. It’s eyes shifted in the dark, blinking and staring at me strangly.

“Why would you sacrifice your freedom for someone else’s,” it asked after a moment.

“Because I love him. He’s my only family and I need to protect him.”

“Don’t listen to him!” my grandfather was frantic. “You can’t take my grandson; he hasn’t even lived yet-.”

“Grandfather, please!”

The creature still sounded confused, “So, you’ll take his place?”

It walked from the shadows then, and I put a hand over my mouth to stifle my scream. His skin was unnatural, pulled taught over muscles and creamy. He had no lips, his teeth just ripped from his skin. He was too tall to even be human, towering over me by at least two or three feet. His eyes never stopped glowing. Long brown hair fell over his face in messy locks but it didn’t do anything to make him seem more human. He was naked, aside from his cloak, but where his genitals should have been there was nothing. He was just a mass of muscle, and for a moment I thought I must be dreaming. I must be having a nightmare. Grandpa’s going to come wake me up soon, I just have to wait….

The creature reached a hand up to mess with the dark green cloak covering his body.

“You would take his place, even if it meant staying with someone like me.”

“Armin please,” my grandfather begged, “Don’t do this.”

“Y-yes,” I stuttered. I swallowed hard and forced myself to look it in the eyes. “Yes I would.”

He grabbed the keys and I moved away from the cell so he could unlock it. Immediately my grandpa went towards me, and I held out my arms to him, but before we could even get a goodbye the beast had him by the back of his neck keeping him away.

“In, now,” It ordered gruffly.

I did as I was told. The door closed tightly behind me with a bang.

“Armin!” my grandpa shrieked. I clung to the bars and let out a sob as I watched the beast drag him down the stairs. I turned to the window when I could no longer hear him screaming for me, watching as the creature put him on the horse and sent him off.

He didn’t even let me say goodbye.

 


	3. Prisoner

**Chapter Three: Prisoner**

 

I didn’t expect the beast to come back. I thought I’d never even see anyone again. It was dark and it was cold and it was wet and at one point I heard a rat scurry across the floor. I had stopped crying. The tears just stopped forming. I wasn’t upset anymore, just numb.

I wrapped my arms tightly around myself to try and keep myself warm.

When he showed up I was even more scared. He was going to kill me, I knew it. Maybe he was going to eat me. Maybe that’s why he refused to let my grandfather free until I told him I’d take his place. I eyed the teeth protruding from his face and started shaking. Those could tear me to shreds. He could eat me _whole._

“Come on,” he said gruffly. “I’ll show you to your room.”

He… he wasn’t going to eat me?

I eyed him warily. Was this a trap? Was he going to eat me now?

“I thought this would be my room,” I told him. I stood up on shaky legs and brushed the dust from the front of my shirt.

“You’re a prisoner, but you’ll be here for the rest of your life. You might as well be comfortable.”

He really wasn’t going to eat me. I could tell. If anything he looked ashamed.

I hated him for that. He should be ashamed. He should let me go. I bit my tongue against anything else I might say and followed him up the stairs.

“The castle is now yours,” he told me. “You may explore any of it that you wish, but you can never go into the west wing. That is strictly off limits. You may not leave the castle grounds either, and if I find that you try to escape I will find you.”

He opened the door to a room, “This is where you will be sleeping. You will join me at dinner tonight.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“It wasn’t a request.” He slammed the door, and I could feel the ground shake as he stomped off.

And then the full weight of what happened crashed over my shoulders.

I threw myself on the bed, clinging to one of the pillows and sobbing. I clutched it with my life. My knuckles turning white with effort to not shake too badly, but how could I not? The simple life I once knew was over. I wanted adventure, but this wasn’t it. This was a mistake. This wasn’t how my life was supposed to go!

I didn’t want to be trapped here. I wanted to travel. I wanted to explore. I wanted to find love and fight kings and _do_ something with my life. Now that was impossible.

“Honey, if you keep crying like that you’ll make yourself sick.”

I sat up in shock, looking around the room. It was empty. No one was there. So who was talking to me?

“Hello?” I called out.

“I’m right here,” the girl said again. “I’m made of wood and I hold the clothes.”

I turned around on the bed and looked around, “Are you inside the wardrobe?”

“I am the wardrobe, doll.”

I stood up, walking up to it and throwing the doors open. But no one was there.

“This is ridiculous,” I muttered. “I’m going crazy.”

“If anyone is crazy, it’s me,” the woman said.

“Show yourself!”

The dresser doors started flapping. They opened and slammed closed repeatedly. They wouldn’t _stop._ I fell onto the bed terrified, my eyes widening and my heart beating wildly in my chest.

“Do you believe me now?”

I clenched onto the bed sheets, “Is… is this an enchanted castle?”

“Well I wouldn’t call it enchanted.”

It was like in my books, where the furniture moved and talked and laughed along with its human inhabitants. I’ve read about it a lot. I never thought it would actually happen. I stood up cautiously. “Does everything in this room talk?”

“No, I’m the only one here.”

I walked closer to the wardrobe, “Who else is like you?”

“There’s quite a lot of us, you’ll meet us eventually.”

“C-can you help me escape?” Because I couldn’t stay here. I had to get out. I couldn’t _live_ like this.

“… You want to leave? Was Eren mean to you? I kind of figured…” she trailed off, and her hinges rattled.

“Figured what?” I asked confused.

“Oh! It’s nothing. I was assuming things, but now that I think about it, it doesn’t even make sense. What’s your name?”

“Armin,” I told her, “Do you have a name?”

“Well, I suppose you could call be the wardrobe but I’d really rather be called Hanji.”

“Hanji,” I tested the name on my tongue. “It was nice to meet you Hanji, but if you’re not going to help me get out of here can you at least not tell the beast until I’m gone.”

“I’m afraid I cannot to that,” she actually sounded sad. “Eren is the master of this castle; he needs to be aware of everything. Especially you, if you’re living here.”

I looked at the door, entertaining the idea of just walking out. But if what Hanji said was true, and that there were more of them, I wouldn’t make it far before the beast found out. I wouldn’t even make it to the gates. I walked over to the window, looking out of it and down to the ground. It would be impossible to jump, I wouldn’t survive. And if I didn’t I wouldn’t be able to walk away. My legs would be shattered. I looked around the room, hoping for something that might help me down.

A faint knock on the door had me jumping in surprise. It opened slowly, a light ‘clink, clink’ resounding through the room. I watched as a tea set made its way into the room.

“Mikasa,” Hanji said. “Please help me convince Armin not to leave.”

“Armin?” the voice was soft, almost emotionless. “Is that his name? I wondered who my brother decided to take in.”

“Take in?” I muttered. “It was either me or my grandfather. I didn’t have any other choice.”

“That’s why you resent our master so much,” Hanji said softly.

“My brother lashes out when he’s scared,” Mikasa spoke up. The tea pot hopped closer to me, the contents splashing around. “I’m sorry you were on the other end of it. You can’t leave though.”

“I can’t stay here,” I told her.

“Christa, come here.”

A small chipped cup hopped next to Christa. The tea pot tilted and steaming tea poured out into the cup.

“Do you want sugar?” A sweet, cheery voice asked.

“Yes, please.” I answered.

A second cup hopped forward, the top opening so it could poor a little sugar into the tea.

“Not too much Ymir!” the small voice warned.

“I’m being careful, don’t worry.” I could only assume it was Ymir that was speaking.

I picked up the tea cup, Christa, gently and sipped on the tea. It was sweeter then I normally took it but I didn’t mind too much. I was thirsty and tea was always something Grandfather made me when I was stressed, worried, or scared. It helped me settle myself down a little.

“I know you want to leave,” Mikasa said softly. “We need you. Please, you can’t leave.”

“Why would you need me?” I inquired. That didn’t make sense. They had everything they’d ever need here. Why would they need help?

“Trust us, Armin. We need you.” It was Hanji that time, and I looked over at her.

Were they at the beast’s mercy too? Were they like me? I chewed on my lip and stared at them, wishing they were human so I could at least see their emotion. Against my better instinct, I nodded. “Alright. Okay, I’ll stay.”

 

 

 

The beast was angry. Not red angry, not fuming, but wet angry. The kind of angry that put tears in your eyes because you were frustrated. He was feeling guilty. He was feeling sick. He was also mad that Armin wasn’t at dinner yet. He should have been here half an hour ago, and he was getting fed up.

“Maybe if you hadn’t scared him so much he’d be here,” Levi said. “Wait-!” A bird popped out from him, tweeting and signifying the hour. Levi just stood there angrily waiting for it to finish. The bird finished tweeting, and then retreated back inside of him.

Erwin chuckled, “It must be awful being a clock.”

Levi blew out his candles in retaliation.

“How could I not scare him,” the beast muttered, ignoring the two’s spat in favor of sitting down. “I’m a monster.”

“You were also angry,” Erwin pointed out. “You look even more terrifying when you’re angry. Like right now, you need to calm down, Master.”

The beast put his face in his hands, “Why am I even keeping him. I should let him go.”

Levi and Erwin looked at each other before speaking up, “No!”

The monster looked up in surprise, “What?”

Erwin cleared his throat, “What we’re saying is, we haven’t seen an actual human in years. What if he’s the one?”

“We’re never going to be normal. You know that.” Eren muttered.

“You don’t know that. Try being nice to him, maybe he’s the one who can free us.”

“Well he has to come to dinner for that to happen.”

“Why don’t we go fetch him?”

The beast stood up, playing with his hair nervously as he followed Erwin and Levi down the hall. They approached Armin’s door, and the beast raised a hand wearily. Just one knock, maybe two. He could do it. He was the Master of this castle and he could do whatever he wanted. Eren brought his knuckles closer, and then dropped his arm.

“I can’t do it,” he whispered at them.

“Come on,” Erwin encouraged. “Yes, you can!”

The beast sighed and raised his fist again and before he could think to even stop himself he knocked, “Um, Armin? Dinner is ready.”

“I’m not going!” Armin shouted back.

He was upset, more than the beast thought he would be. He looked towards Levi and Erwin again unsure of what to do next. Erwin just nodded at him.

“You must be hungry, join me.” He tried again.

“Please,” Erwin reminded him.

“Please,” the beast added.

“I don’t care!” Armin said. “I’m not eating with you!”

The creature pointed to the door in dismay. This wasn’t working! It was a bad idea.

“He’s a prisoner isn’t he,” Levi muttered. “Just give him some stale bread and water and call it good.”

“Levi, he’s a guest!” Erwin scolded.

“Go away!” Armin was furious now.

“Uh oh,” Levi breathed.

“Master?”

The beast was boiling with rage, “Fine! Then you can stay in there and starve until you decide you can eat with me!” he turned to Erwin and Levi. “Make sure he doesn’t leave this room!”

And he stormed away.

“We need to work on his temper,” Levi sighed.

 

 

 

I wrapped my arms around myself, ignoring the growling in my gut. The beast was gone, he had stormed off. His temper was terrifying. I was beating myself up for angering him. What did he expect though? That he could just take me hostage and I would eat meals with him? It doesn’t work that way and he was an idiot to think it would.

“Come on,” Mikasa said. “He’s probably in his room right now. He won’t come out for a while. Let’s go get you something to eat.”

“I’m fine,” I muttered stubbornly.

“I’m not going to let you go hungry, Armin.”

My stomach growled and I looked at it in dismay. I didn’t want to be hungry. I wanted to stay here and never leave the room. I wanted to just go to sleep and hope that in the morning I would wake up in my own bed and this would all be a nightmare. I gave up and followed the tea pot out the door, only to stop. A candle holder and a clock stood in front of me.

“Erwin, Levi,” Mikasa started, “This is Armin. Tell him hello.”

The candle holder bounced forward, “Hello monsieur! I am Erwin.”

The clock merely ticked annoyed, “I’m Levi.”

“I’m taking Armin to the kitchen to get him some food.”

“We’re not supposed to let him leave,” Levi said.

“Deal with it shorty, I’m not going to let him go to bed hungry tonight.”

“Have a heart, Levi,” Erwin cooed.

“Be quiet, old man. The master’s already in a bad mood, this will make it worse.”

“If he finds out.” Erwin pointed out. He turned to me. “Follow me monsieur! We’ll find you something to eat in no time!”

When we reached the kitchen, dust falling from one of the cabinets wasn’t something I expected. I coughed and waved my hand in front of my face.

“ _Mike!”_ Levi roared.

A feather duster scurried out from behind me, “Levi?”

“What have I told you about dusting! You can’t just shake your lazy ass around and expect everything to be clean!”

“Well why don’t you do it yourself then.”

“ _I don’t. Have. Hands!”_

Erwin sighed, “Ignore them. They do this all the time.”

“How can you even breathe in here!?” Levi shrieked.

I hid a smile behind my hand.

 

 

 

Armin’s grandfather was in a panic. He ran the horse faster, trying to get back to the town so he could get help. His grandson was trapped! He was kidnapped! He needed to save him! He had to rally up the people in the town, they could help him. They’d get their pitchforks and rifles and torches and they could storm into the castle and get him back.

_The bar, that’s where everyone would be at!_

He hopped off the horse, stumbling in the snow as he rushed into the building.

“Help! I need help!” he shouted.

The laughter and chatter stopped. The men looked at him, worry on their faces. Everyone seemed to start talking at once.

“What’s wrong?”

“What happened?”

“Are you okay?”

The old man shuddered, “There’s a monster! A beast! He has my grandson, we have to save him!”

The bar was quiet for a moment before it erupted in laughter. A monster? That’s ridiculous. That’s the kind of thing their children would cry about in the middle of the night, not an old man.

He looked around, desperate for someone who would believe him. He spotted Jean, laughing as he sat in his chair in front of the fireplace. He had to get him to believe him. He was hopelessly in love with his grandson. He would save Armin!

He hobbled over to him, “Jean, please! You have to help me!”

The boy smiled slyly. He leaned forward in his chair as if he was interested. “Now, now, calm down. What did this beast look like?”

“He was tall!” the old man exclaimed. “At least seven feet! His eyes glowed in the dark and his teeth were large enough to rip a man like you to shreds. He has my grandson! We have to save him!”

Jean laughed heartily and pressed a hand to his chest. “Seven feet tall?”

“Yes!”

“Crazy old man,” he shook his head. “Kick him out boys.”

And Armin’s grandfather found himself face down in the snow outside the bar, the door slamming shut behind him.


	4. The Rose

 

Erwin and Levi took it upon themselves to give me the tour of the castle. I accepted. The better I knew the place the less chance I had of getting lost – and I would most definitely be getting lost. Most of the castle was somewhat clean and I knew that was all Levi’s doing. It didn’t take me long to figure out he’s likes to keep things clean at almost an insanely level. Being a clock though that probably hindered his process. There was still quite a lot of dust.

“Those stairs right there lead to the west wing,” Erwin pointed out. “You’re never allowed to go up there. Mikasa is the only one who can get away with it, because the master of the house is her brother.”

I frowned, “Brother? How?”

“Adopted,” Levi specified.

The beast’s parents adopted a talking tea cup? I wanted to press further, suddenly curious as to where his parents even _were._ I had a feeling that topic was off limits so I didn’t ask. I paid close attention to the paintings on the wall but even then there were no pictures of people, and most of them were so ruined you couldn’t even tell what they were supposed to be.

I looked up at the staircase and chewed on my lower lip. I was curious. I wanted to go up there. I wanted to _explore_. If I was going to be here for the rest of my life I might as well get acquainted with every square foot of this castle, right? I stopped walking, watching as Erwin and Levi continued down the hall chatting as if I were still with them. This was my chance.

I took a couple cautious steps up the stairs before hurrying up. I was light on my feet, barely making a noise. It was obvious when I had gotten up there that they were right. No one was allowed here. It was more dusty and crude then the rest of the manor which meant not even Levi could step foot in here. I walked carefully, looking where I stepped and avoiding broken shards of glass. The mirrors and windows were destroyed, littering the ground. Armor statues were missing limbs and heads and the metal was dented. It all looked so desolate.

The room I entered was the worse of it all. It was ransacked, completely torn apart as if it had stormed for days in here. I looked around cautiously, taking in the claw marks on the walls, the ripped sheets and fabric on the floor, and the broken furniture. That’s when I saw it. A single rose, laying on top of a table, was the only source of real color in the room. I walked up to it cautiously. It wasn’t in a vase, or a glass, but on an opaque plate with a lid over top.

Water, it needed water. I turned around to go get a vase of it…

… And ran into the beast.

“What are you doing here?” His voice wavered and for some reason that scared me more than if he started shouting.

“Y-Your rose,” I stuttered and flinched. “It’s going to die if you don’t put it in water.”

“Get out!”

I jumped back. “I-I’m sorry!” And I was. I was sorry I ever came here. I was sorry I ever made the deal with him. I was sorry I let my grandfather go out to the fair alone. I could have done everything different. I could have never had to _be here._

“ _Leave!”_ He roared. I want to so bad. My heart faltered in my chest, I could feel the palpitations in my fingertips and neck. I thought I was scared when I first met him. I thought that was what it meant to be truly afraid. But I didn’t even _know._ Now as his glowing green eyes bared down on me, making me feel small and weak and utterly defenseless, I knew what real fear was. I couldn’t even move for a moment. My feet were frozen in their place and I tried to run, I tried to get away, but my body wouldn’t let me. And then he raised a large hand and the spell was broken. I ran, away from him and down the hall, shards of glass cutting my bare feet but I couldn’t even think about _caring_ about that. I just needed to get away.

“Armin! There you are!” Erwin called out. “Wait, where are you going?”

“I’m leaving!” I shouted. “I can’t handle it here!”

I ignored his protests and his pleads. I ignored him when he shouted for the beast. I grabbed my coat from the coat room, pulling it over my shoulders, and I through open the front door. It was storming, badly, but that didn’t detour me. _I needed to get out of here_.

I ran out into the snow, a hand over my eyes so I could try and see through the white. I didn’t know where I was going. I didn’t care. I just had to get away before the beast came after me. My feet grew numb and cold, the snow stinging the cuts until I just couldn’t feel it anymore, but I had to get home.

It was the growling that stopped me in my tracks. For a moment I thought the creature had found me, but the real source was almost worse. Wolves emerged from the white, growling and drooling from the mouth. They were so close I could see the hunger in their eyes, and they were all on _me._ I looked around in a panic, picking up a stick to defend myself and brandishing it in front of me.

A wolf lunged at me, and I swung. The force pushed me to the ground and I turned to try to catch myself. My head hit a rock and for a moment all I knew was blinding pain. And then there was a heavy weight on top of me and I screamed. I screamed and fought and cried as I tried to get the wolf off of me.

Suddenly it was gone, and the beast’s angry roar broke through the dull sound of the storm. I watched as he fought the wolves, throwing them and hitting. A wolf clamped its teeth on his arm and he growled, throwing it away. It seemed to last forever. The wolves just kept coming. I watched with wide eyes because why was he trying to save me? Why wasn’t he letting them just kill me?

The wolves retreated. The beast fell to the ground.

I just sat there, a million thoughts running through my head. He’s unconscious now. I can escape. I can run now and by the time he came too I would be long gone. I could be home and safe and with my grandpa. But he helped me. He saved me. I can’t leave him.

I cursed and got to my feet, stumbling to him.

“Beast,” I called out. “Wake up.”

I hooked one of his large arms over my shoulder and pulled him up. I grunted with the effort, and nearly fell.

“Please, you need to wake up. I can’t carry you, and the wolves will be back anytime now. They’ll kill you this time for sure.” Since when was I worried about his safety?”

He groaned softly, his head lolled, and he looked up at me with hooded eyes. He started walking, large feet tripping over themselves, and I helped guide him back to the castle.

Erwin and Levi met us at the door.

“Armin!” Levi called out, sounding genuinely worried. “What happened?”

“Get the fireplace on,” I ordered. “Tell Mikasa to get some tea ready. I also need cloth and hot water! The beast got hurt.”

“Armin, that isn’t nesse-.”

“Go!” I interrupted.

I helped the beast down the hall and into the sitting room. The fireplace was already lit and burning. I helped him into the chair, and he slumped down in it.

“You’re okay,” I muttered, more to calm myself down. “You’re going to be okay.”

Erwin came into the room struggling to push a cart with water and towels and bandages. Mikasa followed behind him with Christa and a few other cups. She quickly filled us some tea and I immediately went for the warm water and bandages. But when I went to wipe away the bite wound on the beast, it was gone.

“W-What?” I raised  hand, running my fingers over where he was bitten. There was nothing. No blood, nothing. I know he got bit. I saw it happen. I saw him _bleed._ “How?”

“It’s how I am,” the beast explained tiredly. “If I get hurt, I heal. Watch.”

I stared as he dug a fingernail into the top of his other hand. Blood welled up, only to vaporize in a small cloud. I watched as the small crescent wound closed itself. It left no trace that he was ever hurt, not even a scar. I stared at the patch of skin trying to piece it together in my mind.

“H-how is this possible.”

He looked at me incredulously, “You’ve been talking to a candle holder and a clock and you question this?”

I blushed and looked away. He had a point, but I wasn’t going to admit it.

“You’re hurt,” he sounded worried and for some reason I wasn’t surprised. I wasn’t wary. The beast who was keeping me hostage suddenly didn’t seem to awful. I read about this in a book, where captives start caring for the people who were keeping them, and I wondered if that was happening to me.

“I’m okay,” I muttered. I looked away. That had to be what was happening right now. But didn’t their captors usually hurt them? The beast never hurt me. Maybe that wasn’t what was happening.

“No, you’re not. You’re bleeding.” He grabbed the wet towel from my hand and started gently dabbing at my forehead.

“You don’t have to,” I said softly, still lost in thought.

“I’m not going to have you bleed to death on me.” He paused for a moment. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

He apologized? Why would he do that? “Yeah,” I chewed on my lip.

“I mean it. I didn’t mean to.”

I smiled a little bit, “Well maybe you should try being a little nicer. I did save you after all.”

“I saved you first,” He wrapped a bandage around my head. “There. Done.”

I touched it gingerly with my fingertips, “Thank you.”

“Eren.”

I looked up at him confused, “What?”

He made a frustrated noise, “My name’s Eren.”

“O-oh,” I looked to the fireplace to hide my smile. “Thank you, Eren.”

 


	5. The Curse

 

 

“Come here,” Eren said. “I want to show you something.”

It had been a couple days since the incident with the wolves. He took what I said about being nice to heart when I honestly didn’t expect him to.  He had been sweet; leaving when he thought his temper would get the best of him. He was actually trying. He never hurt me though. He’d never hurt me since I’ve been here. I don’t think he was capable of that. He sounded mean, he had the temper of a wasp, but I doubted he would ever lay a hand on anybody unless they undoubtedly deserved it.

“What is it?” I asked as I followed him down the hall. The place was still in ruins and day by day I found myself wanting more and more to try and clean up the place. I wanted to try and restore it to its former glory. Besides, I felt like Eren would be in a better mood if his home wasn’t so bleak.

He lifted a finger to his protruding teeth, and it might have actually been cute if his body hadn’t been so hideous, “It’s a secret.”

I raised an eyebrow at that but followed him anyways. He stopped in front of large double doors.  I had passed these doors before, multiple times. I had come to recognize the golden floral pattern and the blue forget-me-nots’ that stained the deep wood. Even if I had been curious I had never gone in. It looked too private.

Erens large pointed ears wiggled in excitement. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.” I rolled my eyes at him.

He pushed open the doors and I took a step in only to stumble back. It took my mind a few moments to process everything, because it was too amazing to actually be true. I gasped and pressed a and to my mouth in aw because there was no way this was _possible._ There had to be millions of books here. More books than I could even fathom was possible. I could see encyclopedias as fat as my head, dictionaries ordered by letter and even _then_ by number. In different languages. Everything was stacked up almost as high as the castle, multiple ladders scattered about so you could actually reach them. In the middle stood a couple couches, a table in between them, and multiple books lay open. But it looked like they hadn’t been touched in years. Dust so thick I could cut it layered them.

“O-Oh my,” I breathed.

“It was my mothers,” Eren said, his gruff voice had gone as soft as was possible. “She was an avid reader. She’d read to me all the time when I was younger.”

Against my better judgment I asked, “What happened to her?”

“She was killed.”

It was silent for a moment after that. I wasn’t sure what to say. ‘I’m Sorry’ sounded too hollow. I couldn’t even relate. My mom wasn’t dead, just off exploring new worlds. I chewed on the inside of my cheek and cursed myself for my stupidity. I should have just kept my mouth closed.

Eren cleared his throat, “Anyways. I want you to have it.”

I turned around to face him in shock, “What?”

“I want you to have the library.”

It took me a moment to understand what he had just said, what that meant for him and what it meant for me, before ran forward, wrapping my arms around his large waist. I hadn’t been this happy since my grandfather gave me my first book, and I don’t think I’ve ever been this grateful. “Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!”

A sound came from his throat, as though he were laughing, “You’re welcome.”

I turned around to go look at the books, running my fingers over the spines. “Do the books talk too?”

“What?” Eren asked confused.

“Well, it’s an enchanted castle,” I shrugged. “I just thought I’d ask.”

Eren made a small noise, “Who told you this place was enchanted?”

“Nobody, I just kind of assumed.” I admitted sheepishly. I kicked at the floor a little embarrassed. Maybe it was weird to entertain such fantasies, but it wasn’t as weird as the dresser that talked to me in the mornings as I got dressed.

“Enchanted,” he scratched at his face and looked around thoughtfully. “Cursed is really a better word for it.”

I looked up at him confused, “What? Cursed?”

He looked pained, like talking about it was giving him a headache. “Yes. Cursed.”

I took a couple steps towards him, “What? How?”

Eren only shook his head at sat down at the table in the center of the room, “It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“No,” I walked forward and sat across from him, leaning forward and frowning at him. “Tell me. If I’m going to be living here I should know.”

“Yes,” he muttered. “I guess you’re right.”

               

Eren was little when his mother died. Ten years old and he watched as the robbers stormed into the castle and took her away from him. He could remember clearly the amount of breaths she took from when he got to her to hold her hand to when she finally bled out. Six. Six ragged, torn breaths. Six breaths that haunted his dreams and his nightmares and every waking moment of his life since.

“Live on,” she had rasped, and then she went limp in his arms.

Mikasa hid Eren then, in the coat closet. He watched from a small crack between the door and the hinge as the robbers ransacked everything. Mikasa tried to pry him away, tried to get him to hide behind the coats. Eren had refused to move. He watched as the men left the castle. They stepped on his mother. They just walked right over her.

Grisha Jaeger found them later that night, still hiding and crying in the closet.

He went crazy with the death of his wife. He started dabbling in black magic. Eren and Mikasa avoided him as much as they could. They’d sneak out of their room when he was down in the basement to get food. Grisha didn’t spare them any thought or any glance. At least until Eren was fifteen, and he tried to stop him.

They had fought, hand to hand. They rolled around on the stone floor but the dark Grisha had been using those past five years had given him the strength he needed. He strapped Eren down. He chanted.

“When the rose dies Eren, you won’t ever be normal ever again.”

Eren blacked out.

When he woke up his father was gone, and he was a monster. And beside him he found a rose, vibrant and red. He kept it, protected it, hid it in his room. The staff, his sister, they were all objects from around the house, their bodies sleeping where they were left. Eren had to move them all down to the basement, lit a furnice to keep them warm, and he hasn’t been down since. Only Mikasa went down, to make sure the bodies were still alive.

His father was found dead on the side of the road, having been attacked by street robbers.

Mikasa found the cure sometime after. True love. He had to find someone to love him for what he was or else he would never be normal ever again. He didn’t tell Armin this, though. It was better if he didn’t.

After all, it wasn’t like the blond boy would ever love someone like him.

  


I pressed a hand over my mouth, hunching over the table. I thought I was going to be sick. THat someone who was supposed to protect you and cherish you could do something like that to their family. That he had to watch him mother die. “I’m so sorry.”

Eren shook his head, “No. It’s okay.”

“It’s not though!” I stood up and threw my arms up. “That’s horrible! We have to find a way to break it.”

“There is no way.” He looked away guiltily, and I immediately knew he was hiding something.

I chose to ignore it, not wanted to push him for more information than he had already given me. I walked over to one of the bookcases and started, “There has to be a book about it here!”

“My father took all his spell casting books with him.”

“There has to be something!”

“There isn’t,” Eren shouted. He breathed out before continuing. “Mikasa and I looked. There’s nothing.”

“I can’t,” my voice was shaking. “I can’t just leave it.” I wanted to fix everything. I wanted to make him, Mikasa, everyone normal and happy again. All this time I just thought that was the way that they _were_! But they were human once. They used to be like me. They-.

“Read to me,” Eren said.

I looked at him strangely, “What?”

“I’ve forgotten how to read,” he admitted. “Read to me.”

He was trying to distract me. He was trying to calm me down. I sighed, staring down at my shaking hands. Maybe this will be okay. I can find something to fix everything, but I needn’t do it all today. I would only be setting myself up for disappointment. I looked along the shelves before grabbing a book. “How about I teach you.”

I set the book down in front of him and flipped open to the first page.

“What is this?” he asked warily, eyeing the words with something I can only describe as fear..

“Shakespear.”

“Oh no.”


	6. The One

 

Eren wasn’t awful. He wasn’t the monster he seemed to be set on trying to convince everyone. I noticed every time we passed a mirror he turned his head away. Even a glimpse of himself was enough to kill him inside. He hated himself so much he was bent on making everyone else hate him too. Because he looked like a monster he felt like it was only right to become one. I could see through it now. When he pushed me away I only pushed back harder. When he shouted I kept my feet firm to the ground and shouted right back. He wasn’t going to push me away. He wasn’t going to make me run. I was determined to be a part of his life. I was determined to find some way to lift the curse so maybe he would finally be able to live with himself.

It was snowing, but only lightly. I was walking beside Eren, keeping my eyes at my feet. Eren was in a bad mood. His rose was dying. He did as I had said and put it in water but it wasn’t doing anything. He was scared, and I was too. I had spent every ounce of my free time trying to figure out how to break the curse. But there was nothing. There wasn’t anything about black magic, or witchcraft in general, in the library. I had no idea what to do. I was at a loss and it was destroying me. I wanted to help him so bad I could feel it in my bones but with every passing day I grew weaker and tired. I couldn’t sleep. Words would float off the pages as I read deep into the night but I couldn’t stop.

It was going to kill Eren to be stuck like this forever, so I couldn’t give up.

I looked at him from the corner of my eyes, watching as he glared at the snow falling down around us. I looked down at the sticking snow for a moment before a grin stretched across my face.  I reached down and grabbed a handful of snow and with as much of a war cry as I could muster threw it at the back of his head.

He rounded on me, confused and shocked, snow falling from his cape. “What?”

“You need to have a little fun,” I told him. “We both do. We’ll figure out how to break the curse. I promise.” I was honestly trying to convince myself more then I was him.

He looked at me for a moment before nodding slightly. He grunted in affirmation and grabbed a handful of snow. His mouth didn’t give him much room to smile but I could see it in his eyes. I giggled and ran, trudging through the snow as fast as I could. The snow hit my back making me shriek and laugh. The cold ran down my spine chilling me to the bone but I couldn’t have cared less.

I hid behind a tree and when Eren got close enough I knocked my hip against the trunk. Snow fell on top of his head, nearly making his knees buckle underneath the weight. He looked at me surprised, eyes glowing from beneath his own little mound, before fierce determination set in his face.

Uh oh.

I screamed and ran again, laughing.

**  
  
  
**

“This is it guys!” Levi shouted. He turned away from the window to look at the household objects. One by one he scrutinized them. For once they were going to take him seriously. They squirmed nervously underneath his gaze, all except Hanji and Erwin who were used to this by now. “Armin is the one!”

Cheering erupted, everyone jumping up and down in joy. Levi himself could feel hope swelling in his chest. What he would give to be human again, and it was right within his grasp. There was work to do though. They had to make this perfect and foolproof.

“But, we still have a little more time before the curse is broken!” Levi called over top the noise. Everyone immediately quieted down. “We need to make Armin more comfortable. Pots and Pans, you take the south wing! Sweepers and mops, spit shine everything! I want to be able to see my face in the brick by the time you’re done. We are going to clean up this mess of a castle.”

Everyone immediately got to work, flying and scuttling out in all directions. Levi continued to bark out directions to make sure everyone was doing their job.

Everyone but Mike. who got distracted by the perfumes in Eren’s mothers room.

Levi fumed, “Mike!”

“Yes, Levi?”

“Why are you not working?”

“The perfume smells good.”

“Get to work!”

Erwin hopped next to Levi, “Calm down, darling. Everyone’s working hard. By the time the two love birds come in from the snow the castle will be like new!”

If Levi could glare Erwin would have holes in his head. “I am this close to being human again. I will not calm down!”

“Will you finally marry me when we’re human again?”

“You stupid, old man!”

**  
  
  
**

When we finally got inside, I stopped in shock, Eren doing the same when he stepped up beside me. We looked around in amazement. The castle was clean. The curtains were no longer ripped and the mirrors were dusted. The place sparkled in places I never knew it could sparkle. The scent of dust and decay that I had become so used to was gone, replaced by something fresher and cleaner.

“I got tired of it being disgusting,” Levi said hopping towards us. “Also, if Armin is going to be living here it might as well be clean.”

“I- Thank you Levi,” Eren spoke up. I just gaped, unable to form words.

“You two should go warm up by the fireplace,” Erwin said. “You’ll catch a cold if you continue to stand there shivering.”

Eren and I walked into the sitting room, sitting in front of the fire to warm up. I quickly pulled off my soaked jacket and handed it to the coat rack, who took Eren’s cloak as well. I rubbed my hands together trying to work some heat into them. Mikasa came by with tea but left quickly after that.

“You’re mean,” Eren said after a moment. “Throwing snow at me like that.”

“You hit me with it more times then I got you,” I pointed out. “And you’re a bigger target. I don’t think that’s fair.”

“Well maybe you just have bad aim.”

“My aim is perfectly fine!”

“Not as perfect as mine.”

I laughed and sipped at my tea, glanced at him from the side. “Maybe so.”

It was quiet for a moment before Eren spoke up, “What was your town like?”

The question caught me off guard. It took me a minute to grasp what he was asking and I grimaced. Out of all the things he could inquire about me he chose the part I hated the most. “Boring,” I muttered, looking into the fire. “I hated it. There was nothing to do. I spent most of my time reading so I could escape to somewhere that had purpose and life and adventure. I used to plan on leaving like my parents did when I was young, but my grandpa’s old and needed the help and-.” I stopped talking for a moment and chewed on my lip. “I hope he’s okay.”

Eren looked away guiltily. “I’m sorry.”

And that was when I remembered, no matter how much I had grown attached to Eren and the people here, I was still a prisoner.

 

**  
  
**

Armin’s grandfather was in a panic. He had tried for days to get people to go after his grandson. No one was listening though. No one believed him. He hobbled around the house, packing his bag with everything he might need. If no one was going to save his grandson he was going to do it himself. Armin needed him. He was sure of it. He had to get him back.

The old man wrapped a cloak around his shoulders and started out into the snow.

“I’m coming for you Armin,” he whispered underneath his breath. “Hold on.”


End file.
